Car Seat - How to handle crying

02-08-2010, 12:12 PM

Hi ladies, hoping you might have some suggestions for us or can let me know how you handled it?

Whenever we go for a longish drive (> 10 min), DD cries inconsolably in her car seat. It is a back facing seat and I place it in the back behind the passenger seat. I have attached a soft toy to the seat and always have some kind of toy as a distraction for her, but it does not seem to help. We have resorted to taking her out of the seat on occasion just to stop the crying (when DH is driving - this is something I NEVER thought I'd do because of the safety issue), because it feels like we are doing a CIO-session, but sometimes there is just no other way since I sometimes have to drive alone and I can obviously not take her out.

I always try to make sure that she is fed before we go out, but this also does not seem to do the trick.

I can try placing her on the front seat with the car seat facing backwards, but then I have to have the air bag switched off and cannot keep it off since I sometimes carry passengers in the front.

This is very difficult, I have been through this and it didn't stop until my daughter was 1. Here's what we resorted to. Pulling off every 10min. to calm her. Then if my husband was driving I would sit in the back and with her strapped in I would nurse her while wearing my seat belt very difficult but works, eventually she would calm and fall asleep. I also found getting her strapped in her seat and then nursing her in her car seat before getting the car would help calm her. If I took her out to nurse I would never get her back in. Good luck this is a very difficult stage.

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you could try hanging a solid color blanket over the back of the seat. i've read that the pattern in the seat cover can make some babies crazy. i have personally known moms who've done this and the screaming quit instantly. however, i was one of those moms stretched over the carseat nursing

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My daughter is the same. I'm sure you've tried this but the only thing that works for my DD is to sing really loudly. She loves 'Old MacDonald had a farm' because of all the animal noises. She starts to cry the instant I stop singing. It's kind of tiring (and strange when you have passengers ) but it works. A baby mum mum cracker also sometimes keeps her entertained for a while although I try not to use food as a pacifier too often. Good luck!

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I know how hard it is, when they're crying so hard that their little face is red. It's even worse when you are sitting in back with them and can see the look in their eyes!

I too have done the hanging over to nurse thing while Daddy drives - uncomfortable but works. Please try that and not taking her out of the car seat while driving!

If I was driving alone, sometimes singing would help and/or I'd reach back with one hand and caress my son's face/head while trying to soothe with words.

Have you checked to make sure she's comfortable? Like checking that her clothes aren't bunched up, or the straps aren't so snug that they are hurting her or cutting into her neck, etc. Maybe she just doesn't like the feeling of being confined in the car seat and you just have to try different things to distract her from that...

Hope you find something that helps!

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I had the same problem with DS and it's REALLY nervewracking when you have a long drive and you're alone!!! One thing that helped was a mirror that they make for the car, he was quite fascinated with himself for a while and also I could see him to know if there was any real danger. Sometimes I had to pull over and take him out but then putting back in...!!! Favourite toys help and whenever my husband and I were together I would sit with him in the back or we would take turns. Also, someone gave us a CD of childrens songs in Spanish which works quite well, maybe because he hears different sounds from another language?? I also think that being too hot was an issue. Eventually though, he just stopped (thank goodness).

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we have the same thing most of the time with my 17 mnth old, she was the opposite, fine until around 8/9 months, she used to love it, just pulled over for feeds and she'd sing and chill. Then... it became a nightmare and I do the nursing her while in the car seat - glad I am not alone with that one and you are not alone either. This stuff is sooo hard with our modern, busy lives, trying to be as AP as possible... its a tall order some days with all the demands. I hope it improves... also, giving her one of her favourite books helps too and now she is in the bigger chair facing forward, it helps a lot too.

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We play radio static or recorded white noise and this helps our 9mo who also is not fond of the car. Today we are getting a new car seat - maybe he will like a convertible better than the infant carrier???

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We had the same challenge with my DD. I got some cd's and played them at home a few times while we were playing, then played them in the car during drives and they helped keep her calm. (The best is Elizabeth Mitchell's "Little Bird" album.) Also, foreign language cd's are fun and interesting, though they're geared for older kids, they're great (we got Beth Manner's French & Spanish cd's).
My DD is 21 months and [I]still[I] has a tough time in her seat - we have resorted to a portable DVD player with Baby Signing Time DVD's in case of emergency.
Also, not sure how old your little one is, but we put family photos in a small soft photo album and that provides entertainment and comfort as well.
Best wishes and happy car rides to you!
Kenyon